"Please, live."

"Fluito.", the man whispered under his breath, and their sudden fall became slower as if they were feathers falling from the tower, not humans.

"Magic!?", her eyes widened as she peeked down and saw everything moving in slow-motion. She frowned and pondered upon the occurrence.

MAGIC. It's something that she has known as tricks done by humans to deceive others, using their intelligence and quick moves. But seeing that man whispering a word and magically making them float, she now has no explanation on how he did that.

From where she was, she could see a forest filled with tall, looming trees which stood so eerily as if they can suck the souls out of humans. Slowly, they were floating towards what it seems like the entrance of the forest.

When they finally reached the ground he slowly put her down on the ground and put his hand a few inches away from the chain anklet that was still on her ankle.

"Dimisit," he whispered and the anklet split into two, releasing her leg free. When she hears his voice again, she noticed that it was kind of weird, like the sound of a broken radio. "Voice changing magic?" she thought.

She rubbed her sore ankle with her left hand, relieved that it didn't leave any mark. She looked up to see the man was also staring at her ankle. She blinked in disbelief.

"Pervert," she immediately closed her mouth with her right hand, as she was sure that she was saying that thought in her head. The man immediately looked up at her with wide eyes. They locked their gaze rather awkwardly.

But a few moments later, she saw his eyes forming crescent shapes as he let out a chuckle. He rested his chin on his right hand and asked, "Really, what makes me one then?"

"First, you sneak into a woman's place without any invitation, second, you touched a woman's body without her consent, and third, you look at a woman's body with strange intent," she said flatly, without a pause.

He immediately looked down to the ground with an expression that can be described as embarrassed mixed with feeling dejected.

"You don't have to word it that way though..." he said in a low voice while scratching his head.

She stared at this man and decided that this is now time to determine her situation.

"Are you going to kill me?" she immediately asked. And the sudden question stopped the man's every movement.

She waited for an answer but only silence filled the air between them. Finally, he let out a sigh.

"You just never understand, do you?" he said as he pulled her into an embrace.

Her eyes widened for a moment but she calmed down fast as she realized something important. "He talks as if he has known me for a long time," she thought.

"Why would I save you just to see you die, stupid," he said as he tightened his hold on her. She just lay there, her head on his chest, listening to his racing heartbeat, maybe because of the run just before.

They stayed there, sitting in silence for a while when he eventually asks, " Or do you want to die?"

She grimaced at the question. One thing she had always wanted, but there was also uncertainty in that wish of hers.

" It certainly sounds tempting, as there isn't any reason for me to live for," she muttered. She didn't lie, in fact, she was talking purely from her own honest feelings. And if she said otherwise, she would only be deceiving the man and as someone who is currently possessing a body, she could never falsely represent the real body owner.

"I... I'm sorry that I'm not enough for a reason," he croaked. She noticed that the glitch in his voice became much worse as if he barely managed to say those words.

She can feel her chest throbbing to the thought that her words may have hurt that man he barely knew.

"I don't think the fault lies in you. Maybe it was me who didn't find the reason, or I didn't have the chance to, who knows?" strangely, she talked to him differently from others, as she poured her very emotions into every single word she said.

"... Then go find one." He abruptly shoved her away from himself, distancing themselves. He held both of her shoulders firmly, but he was facing the ground.

" I don't care if it only trivial matters like studying, go be a saintess, or a witch, be whatever you want. Go and learn those things you didn't have the chance to, wherever you are, if you doubt the path you set unto, trust me that I'll support you as long as you are happy, so please..." he finally looks up to her.

"Please live, Avery Delaney." His eyes were begging for her to understand the meaning of his words.

"Avery..?" The name somehow sparked something within her mind." Where did I hear that name before?" she tried hard to remember where she picked up that name.

"Now, go. If you go straight into the forest you'll eventually reach the Eloise Kingdom." The man got up and walked towards the tower while 'Avery' was still trying to find the connection to 'her' name.

"Avery... Daughter of Duke Delaney.. fiancee' of the purple eyes prince-" she gasped and called out to the mysterious man.

"...Theoden?" she managed to say that name but a sudden gust of wind blew, causing her hair to obstruct her sight. But the moment she said that name, she can feel her heart sink as if she regretted it.

As her vision cleared, she saw those gentle purple eyes looking at her with this look of hurt that she can't describe. His hood which was also blown away by the wind showed his raven-colored hair which glimmered under the moonlight.

"...Goodbye. May Roanna bless you." He said as if he turned and walked away while his hands were adjusting his hood onto his head again.

She can feel her sight once again blurred and feel tears streaming down her face. But she knows the tears aren't hers, it was Avery's. She tried to wipe the tears away but it seemed to be getting worse and worse each second. Her chest tightened, and she curses as she had to experience the grief that wasn't even hers.

"For the love of-" she hated how she felt; it was of guilt, sadness, and longing. The tears didn't seem to be stopping any soon either as her sleeves continued to be wetter.

"Tsk-" she raised up her head and screamed with all of her might. "ALRIGHT!! I'LL LIVE!!" she felt the storm in her chest subside.

"I'll do whatever I want!! I'll be happy and-" she got up and wiped her face the last time.

"AND I'LL FIND YOU BRAGGING ABOUT HOW HAPPY I AM!" she finally said as she turned and ran into the forest without ever turning back.